Villages - Procession Acts (Bathetic, 2015)

The decade long evolution of Villages (William Ross Gentry) has been a fascinating one. It's been a privilege to watch this personality unfurl. At an impressive fifteen releases, each has growth that is very apparent, one that is indicative of hard work, and a discerning ear.

His initial offering, the lovely and delicate "The Last Whole Earth" in 2010, seems homage to his heroes, a cold yet delicate droning piece that calls to mind artists such as Eno, Stars of the Lid, and Labradford. As his palatte refined, Villages moved in a less ambient / drone direction. At each moment, there is a subtle maturity. The Spilling Past showed leaps and bounds in production, Theories of Ageing sees a shift, not only to cinematic frontier, but a more rhythmic direction with clean piano, acoustic guitar, and banjo, signifying an attempt to distinguish his motif as an accessible music separate from the drone genre. He escaped the pigeon hole only to be dubbed "Appalachian Drone" by several writers.

With "Procession Acts", the ten year oeuvre seems to reach a pinnacle of emotion and individual characteristics. with a production excellence that would inspire all who make music themselves.

If you're a fan of classical music, you know that often it is possible to recognize imagery and incidents the writer was contemplating during the creative process. Gentry's subtleties and nuances are full forward, and he wears his influences on his sleeve: Jonny Greenwood, Cliff Martinez, and Nick Cave & Warren Ellis scores, Type Records artists such as Peter Broderick and Goldmund, western guitar drone and blues from Steven R. Smith to Mississippi John Hurt. All of these elements combine to make a perfect album, and the culmination of an excellent repertoire.

Act One

Beginnings in Dust
Devouring the Whole
The Luddite
Tell the Butcher
Coat of Arms
Pillars in Half Light

Act Two

Open in Reverse
Out of the Mines
Predecessors
Slow Successors
Endings in Rust

Purchase your copy from the wonderful Bathetic Records HERE. Vinyl will go fast!!!

Stream on Spotify HERE.

Listen to a mix he made of his influences for the latest album HERE

Cave Evil - KVVL Radio Mixtape (Rotten Shape, 2013)

I was never a RPG guy. Tried my hand at a couple one summer back in '92 but I just wasn't nerdy in that particularly way. What I am nerdy about to this day, is anything dark ambient or black metal. If you like either / both of these, boy oh boy, do I have a treat for you.

A really creative subgenre is black metal presented as if it were being made in the middle ages (Wolfmangler, Dead Raven Choir, etc.). The music presented here is the soundtrack to some ridiculous "Necro-Demonic Dungeon Brawl Boardcame", and it contains a sort of black subgenre, mixed with some sound effects and ritual electronic blackness.

Even if you scoff at RPG's, try the tunes. Fun stuff. The ninety minute mixtape features tracks from Night of Ultraviolence, Wizard333, Swordsect, Abandoned Places, Manifester, Cex, MarderIII, Muroc, Hatred, Crypt Enforcer, Whispers of Dead Gods, Tres Quatro, Mammal, OoznDmrr, Indignant Senility, and Khand. Uh huh, laugh until you listen.

Thanks to Justin Farrar for the heads up on this one. Listen on the completely over the top radio station website HERE

Or at Bandcamp:

Happy David Lynch Day!

This man is a monumental figure in my life. I'm consistently amazed by his artistic output. His films, paintings, animation and even musical compositions have all been enormous influences. Everyone is familiar with his film and television but I'm not sure most are aware the the music in Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks primarily composed by the great Angelo Badalamenti is actually a collaborative effort.

Badalamenti is brilliant but Lynch is quite the musician as well, the mischievous jazz setting for Twin Peaks being his concept. Unbeknownst to the dynamic duo, their tunes would spawn one of my personal favorite subgenres, doom jazz, a form of music that combines the slow tempos, and sense of despair of doom metal with jazz style and sensibility. The music usually conveys an aura of pessimistic introspection, punctuated by dark ambient influences. Championed mostly by Bohren and Der Club of Gore, its also practiced by Mount Fuji Doom Jazz Corporation, Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Dale Cooper Quartet and the Dictaphones, and many more.

Celebrate the legend's birthday by listening to these great scores below:

Music for Solaris: Two Versions (Artemyev (1972) / Martinez (2002)

I can feel the nerd purists seething already. My death warrant is being signed, right? Well, though this is not a popular sentiment, I love both these scores. I even think Soderbergh's remake of the original film has its good qualities. In case it wasn't obvious, you're hearing this from not only a Tarkovsky junkie, but a Lem junkie as well. Don't me misled, Tarkovsky took liberties with his adaptation of the novel just like Soderbergh did. Sometimes these things are necessary. Deal.

Artemyev's original score is simply bleak. There are scraping sounds reminiscent of live electrical wires, extended pipe organ deliveries and heavy tape edits. Its raw, stark and perfectly appropriate for the incredibly slow pace and visual aesthetic. This is a fine example of a thinking feller's soundtrack. No frills.

Martinez, however, had a tough job. This version of the film had a more traditional Hollywood, a film noir setting. Not only did he have to be more blatant with musical concepts but the consistent presence of melody was necessary to keep the ADD audience's attention. His string and synth pulsing-based style worked perfectly. It does blur a bit with Clint Mansell's work, but there's nothing wrong with that. Gorgeous melodies and great rhythmic scene development here.

Both these have been reissued on vinyl. Grip them soon. Check out both soundtracks below.

Bruce Langhorne - Hired Hand O.S.T. (vinyl release Scissor Tail Editions, 2012)

How this slipped through the cracks for 40 years is beyond me. First, the film is an 'Acid Western', and second,   the music is light years ahead of its time. Supposedly, Bruce Langhorne is literally Zimmy's inspiration for 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and he must have had magic powers, because his music is even compared to contemporary electronic and experimental artists.

From the Bandcamp:

Bruce Langhorne is most known for his session work with artists in and around the Greenwich Village folk scene during the 1960’s. He’s been credited as working with such artists as Bob Dylan, Odetta, Joan Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary, Babatunde Olatunji, Richie Havens, Carolyn Hester, Peter LaFarge, Gordon Lightfoot, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot... practically everyone active during that era. In addition to being the inspiration for Bob Dylan’s "Mr. Tambourine Man", Langhorne also played the electric guitar countermelody on the song. His guitar is also prominent on several other songs on Dylan's Bringing It All Back Home album, particularly "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" and "She Belongs to Me", but also "Subterranean Homesick Blues", "Outlaw Blues", "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" and "Maggie's Farm", on which he played the lead guitar part. He also played the guitar with Dylan for Dylan's television performances of "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" and "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue on the Les Crane Show a month after the Bringing It All Back Home sessions. Two years earlier, Langhorne had performed on Dylan's The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan on "Corrina, Corrina" as well as the outtake "Mixed-Up Confusion".

 In 1969 Langhorne was asked by Peter Fonda to score his directorial debut. He decided to opt out of scoring the film in a projection room, instead chose to shoot the film onto a small black and white camera to take back to his home in Laurel Canyon. He would watch the film and play along to it as his girlfriend at the time would record him and play it back, allowing him to overdub Farfisa Organ, piano, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, recorder, and Appalachian dulcimer onto his Revox reel to reel. Bruce's 1920 Martin guitar is most prominent throughout the record. The Results were a uniquely wide and lonesome soundscape. The closest comparison might be Sandy Bull or possibly John Fahey, but nothing of its kind or even of it's time poses a resemblance to Langhorne's minimal masterpiece displayed here on vinyl for the first time.

The vinyl is hopelessly out of print but you can listen to the album and download it HERE.

Halloween II - OST (Death Waltz, 2013)

In affiliation with LA's Beyond Fest, my latest favorite label,  Death Waltz, who does vinyl re-issues of horror soundtracks, has issued an extremely limited amount of these scores on cassette:

Halloween II
Halloween III
A Field in England
Assault on Precinct 13

So, you'd better hurry if you're a tape nerd like me who wants these John Carpenter / Alan Howarth gems in a never before offered format.

Franco Falsini - Naso Fredo (1975, reissued by Spectrum Spools, 2012)

Franco Falsini first gained notoriety with his progressive rock / experimental outfit 'Sensations Fix' in the early 70's. They signed to Polydor in '74 with whom they released several albums. Falsini's work was out of print for many years until John Elliot reissued the album 'Naso Fredo' (Cold Nose). Of all this material, Falsini shines the most on his solo debut, the soundtrack to a scarcely seen film that warned of the dangers in cocaine abuse.

This is blissful and lovely music with minimal conflict or tension. If anything, it seems to me the coke warning might have the adverse effect, because if this is what coke sounds like, most people unfamiliar with the drug might be inspired to investigate it!

An album in three movements, the basic setup is simple: Frippish experimental guitars, undulating bass, and various subtly used synths, such as ems and minimoog. He presents a meditative narrative, a journey through astral layers of the 70's 'out there' aesthetic. Fans of acts like Ash Ra Tempel, Brainticket or Cosmic Jokers will dig its trippy and peaceful, yet flawlessly executed delivery.

Falsini has effected many genres of music around the world for nearly 40 years. The first time I heard of him was when investigating DJ Shadow's samples on his 'Private Press' record back in '02. Now this album has been reissued by John Elliot and Peter Rehberg at Spectrum Spools. Chill out with this one. Put your head between two speakers and mellow.




Read full review of Cold Nose - Franco Falsini on Boomkat.com ©

El Topo - OST (1971, Abkco / 2012 LP Re-issue by Real Gone)

Its always strange talking about Jodorowsky films, so I'll keep that aspect to a minimum. We all know what a wonderfully bizarre film-maker he was (I say "we all" because you wouldn't be reading this blog if you weren't fucked in the head like me, in which case you're a weirdo who also loves this man's work), but does everyone know he made the music for his films as well? That's right, and let me tell you, the sounds are equally bizarre and wonderful. He composed this with John Barham, in a working relationship similar to David Lynch and Angelo Badalementi's, only this relationship had much more blood and an infinite amount of hallucinogenics.
 
Taking cues from Rota and Morriconne, the instrumentation includes flutes, horns, accordions and organs. There are orchestral waltzes, mariachi flavors, parlor jazz and some classic 70's "tripped out with sunshine on the camera" ballads. This is a real treat and I'm very happy that it has been re-issued on 180 gram vinyl. The gatefold package also includes a lovely 4 page booklet of photo stills. Now you too can own a copy of the score to this twisted, blood-drenched, drugged out, Christian allegorical, Zen Buddhist, avant garde, psychedelic fantasy / nightmare that changed film forever.



Get the LP HERE

Ornette Coleman - Chappaqua OST (1965)

How the hell Conrad Rooks (or whoever was in charge of this decision) opted for the Ravi Shankar version of the film score is forever beyond me. I could be in the dark about some particular permutation, but listening to them side by side, I go with this one all day.

Honestly, the churned out dopey cliche vibe of the Shankar score is weak as the companion music to the film, and weak as an offering for the master musician that was Ravi shankar. I'm sorry, but Shankar just rubbed one out.

I saw this film because I randomly picked it up at the neighborhood video rental store when I was nineteen. There was a bargain bin of vhs and I liked the the cover. I had yet to do hard drugs, I was just discovering jazz and  the only education I'd had with experimental film was David Lynch. Watching this film was my first true "countercultural" experience. And eighteen years later, the film still trumps all else.

The premise is that a man is institutionalized due to alcohol addiction. As he goes through DT withdrawls,  the camera portrays what he is hallucinating. There are a multitude of visually striking moments presented, but the one that always pops into my head is a scene in a club where Ornette is skronking away on the sax and standing next to him is the little man from the tv show Fantasy Island. If you're my age or older, you know what I'm talking about, if not, look it up. Either way, its a truly harrowing scene and I can't really explain why. Other notable appearances include William S. Burroughs (this caused me to begin reading his books when I was too young to get it), Allen Ginsberg, and Swami Satchidinanda.

This is an immensely disturbing film in that it is violent, schizophrenic and psychedelic in the true sense of the word. For whatever reason, this film is hard to find. Unfortunately, I've lost my copy, and this really upsets me. Regardless, this is not a film blog. Point being, you need not be a jazz head to appreciate the excruciating hard work that Ornette put into this score that was never used. We're talking about an hour and twenty minutes of textbook Ornette free jazz, just a bit off ballads, and even a venture into his own twisted brand of cool jazz that you won't find outside of this record. And these are the same players as the "Golden Circle" sessions, just to give you heads a backdrop. Such a heavy band...

Whether you like jazz and hard drugs or not, find this film and listen to this (not)soundtrack. And for fuck's sake, somebody leave a comment. Thanks everybody.



Get it HERE

Asei Kobayashi & Mickey Yoshino - Hausu OST (Nippon Columbia, 1977)

I think the Criterion Collection synopsis describes this film best in one sentence, "An episode of Scooby Doo directed by Mario Brava." So, with that in mind, you can imagine how strange the soundtrack must be. Its not your typical horror music at all. Then again, when do the Japanese do anything typical? Its actually light on the spooky and heavy on the slap bass. Yep, aliens came to earth and made a score based on funky slap rhythm section, flute, piano, and synth. To be honest, some of the tracks have borderline porn sounds, and I prefer to  disregard the piece that sounds as though Steely Dan were scoring Saturday morning cartoons. Although, this is supposed to be trippy, so whatever. Truly bizarre music, especially when paired with watching the film.





Get it HERE

Electric Flag - The Trip OST (1967)

Welcome to another bizarre journey starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda, written by Jack Nicholson and directed by Roger Corman. This one is scored by The Electric Flag, a short-lived but top notch band consisting of Mike Bloomfield, Buddy Miles, Harvey Brooks, Barry Goldberg and Nick Gravenites.

To be honest, out of context, this one may not do much for you. Its not the wildest trip but its still a good one. This band was more blues rock in its skill set, and this is not the type of psychedelic music that's hip these days. That being said, I still recommend it. Dig.



Get it HERE

Boxhead Ensemble - Dutch Harbor: Where the Sea Breaks its Back (Atavistic, 1997)

Boxhead Ensemble was originally begun as a collective supporting the score for the documentary "Dutch Harbor: Where the Sea Breaks its Back".

"Dutch Harbor is one of the largest fishing ports in the United States, located on the small remote island of Unalaska, part of the Aleutian Island chain. Trawlers each day head to sea to fish in the oceans off the Pacific Northwest or up into the Bering Sea some 300 miles away. This documentary is the story of the small town where Dutch Harbor is located and the men and women who call Unalaska and the sea their home. This 80-minute film, shot in black-and-white, shows a village in transition, from a remote place on the earth to one of the most active international commercial-fishing communities. Stunning photography and an equally captivating soundtrack brings together the story of these people who live on the western shores of Alaska." ~ Forrest Spencer, Rovi

Its one of the most moving films ever made. Naturally, it wasn't well received in the states but was adored in Europe. That accepting market caused the musicians to travel there to perform further live improvised film screenings. The best moments of that tour are presented on The Last Place to Go.

Line-up includes:

Mick Turner
Jim White
Will Oldham
Edith Frost
Fred Lonberg-Holm
Ken Vandermark
Michael Krassner
Charles Kim
Julie Pomerleau

Impressive, huh? The bulk of Chicago's avant garde scene alongside two of The Dirty Three. Not too shabby.

I've never heard better relaxing yet somber improvisational music.

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Labradford - Mi Media Naranja (Kranky, 1997)

I've owned this record since 2003 and have listened to it well over a thousand times. This is in my handful of records that never gets old. On my deathbed, when I'm compiling my Top 100 albums of all time, this will be pretty high on the list.

Richmond, VA-based Labradford creates lovely ambient music. Incidentally, they were making these sounds long before the birth of the "drone" tag. With twangy western electric guitars, waxy organs, subtle string arrangements and tasteful vibes and percussion, they create hypnotic and accessible drone that actually borders on pop. If I were turning someone on to the genre, I would surely start with this. Using thematic elements reminiscent of anything from Morricone's soundtracks for Leone to Badalamenti's scores for Lynch, This duo have been turning heads since the early 90's.

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music you'll ever hear.

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Quincy Jones - In Cold Blood OST (Colgems, 1968)

In 1966, Truman Capote scared the hell out of America with a novel containing brutality that most hadn't heard of before, much less read about. A year later, Richard Brooks adapted the novel for film and threw it in the faces of the rest of them that didn't read much. The film is incredible and lost the Oscar for Best Picture only due to The Graduate having a more accessible commercial appeal.

What I always found most notable about the picture was Quincy Jones outstanding score. The same man who was well known for his happy, bouncy big band feeling soundtracks dug deep into his psyche and manifested a true evil, a fear at the heart of all men and the first truly menacing jazz score.

This was also a true breakthrough for black composers in Hollywood. Jones had just done the music for In the Heat of the Night and although this was more popular with the mass audience, critics were more focused on his work with In Cold Blood, in which he really pushed the envelope, creating a genuinely disturbing theme. This is a magnificent achievement.

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Paul Giovanni and Magnet - The Wicker Man OST (1973, Trunk, 1998)

With Robin Hardy's 1973 film "The Wicker Man" a different method was employed for the score. Instead of the typical startling and abrasive strings striking fear into the hearts of watchers, Hardy chose Paul Giovanni to write pastoral Celtic-style folk songs conducive to the setting of the film, Summerisle. These songs are probably more effective at making the watcher feel uncomfortable as they don't initially seem creepy, however, the deeper one gets into the plot of the film, the more disconcerting these ancient pagan sounding odes become.I'm imagining Pentangle and Sandy Denny as psychotic pagans bent on bloodletting of innocents.

One of many favorite terrifying horror film scenes would not have been as disturbing without the music. This is really powerful stuff.

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Riz Ortolani - Cannibal Holocaust (Lucertola Media, 1980)

This film is all shock and schlock. Often banned and berated internationally, Deodato's film is a disturbing gutmunching extravaganza.

What's bizarre about the soundtrack is that its misleading and doesn't really make any sense. The main theme is not indicative of the horrific bloodfeast to follow but a soft, warm and tinkly number designed to relax and not alarm. Following that are unusual pieces that range from jazz and funk to children's music and loungey electronics.

Extremely weird and awesome.

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Ennio Morricone - The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (Italy, 1969)

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage was the great Dario Argento's directorial debut as well as one of his best plotted films. This was the first of his "Animal Trilogy" along with Cat o' Nine Tails and Four Flies on Grey Velvet shortly thereafter. All of these films were score by the man himself, Ennio Morricone. To put soundtrack in perspective I feel its important to point out the impact he made on the whole of film. When horror was bogged down with cliche, Morricone broke the mold, much the same as he did with the western genre on his DOLLAR scores.

Instead of the the overuse of strings, Morricone's approach was drug-addled experimental jazz. In the violent scenes he trademarked his placement of lullabyes and heavy breathing that became a oft-imitated standard in horror. As simple as these ideas sound, they are incredible unsettling and very creepy in the context of the film.

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Popol Vuh - Nosferatu (Egg, 1978)

Florian Fricke was the mastermind behind Popol Vuh, one of the earliest ambient music projects and one of the lesser known "krautrock" acts.

Werner Herzog is...well... Werner Herzog. Obviously this is one of the strangest vampire films you'll ever see. Its not weird so much as that its very...well...Werner Herzog.

The pairing of visual and audio hear is simply stunning, one of the best ever. Popol Vuh's piano and acoustic guitar based pieces are absolutely gorgeous and as poignant as could possibly be. You don't even need the film aesthetic to enjoy it.

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Les Baxter - The Dunwich Horror (1970)

1970 saw the release of a Roger Corman produced B movie adaptation of this H.P Lovecraft story starring Dean Stockwell, Sandra Dee (naked Gidget) and Ed Begley in his last film role.

The king of equally campy music himself, Les Baxter, is perfect as composer here. His score, anchored by an contagious recurring main theme, transports the listener to a vivid and ridiculously colorful psychedelic 60's landscape that is part Monkees, part Acid Test, part art house porn and part I Dream of Jeannie.

Classic Bernard Hermann themes mixed with funky drums and strange electronics give way to more sleazy than creepy motifs. More Planet of the Apes than "The Old Ones". Not too scary but a helluva lotta fun.

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Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo - Forbidden Zone OST (Varese Sarabande, 1980)

Richard Elfman, wrote and directed and his brother Danny scored this dark, manic, paranoid, cabaret-ish, new wave, punk, theater on film epic.

This cult classic has something to do with minnie the moocher (the druggie made famous by Cab Calloway's call and response scat classic) infiltrating the perverted fears of the unknown, yet slightly expected but later nonchalantly forgotten, reasons of reality.

Many of the actors actually lip synch to old recordings of Cab Calloway and Josephine Baker while wearing black face and performing faux anti-Semitic themes. Apparently, people in 1982 couldn't appreciate the displeasure of bad art done well though the film eventually explains itself with the confusion that it mirrors.

The sixth dimension lies somewhere as close as the forbidden zone.

--Sean Dail

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